Cornelii Nepotis Vitae (Hamilton)/M. porcius cato

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 XXIII. Hannibal XXV. Titus pomponius atticus 
Cato, ortus municipio Tusculo,
Cato, born in the municipal town Tusculum,
adolescentulus, prius-quam daret (sub.) operam
a very young man, before that he did give work (apply)
honoribus, versatus-est in Sabinis,
to honours, was employed in (among) the Sabines,
quod habebat ibi heredium relictum a
because he had there an inheritance left by
patre. Hortatu Lucii Valerii Flacci, quem
father. By the advice of Lucius Valerius Flaccus, whom
habuit collegam in consulatu que censura,
he had colleague in the consulship and censorship,
ut Marcus Perperna Censorius solitus-est narrare,
as Marcus Perperna Censorius used to relate,
demigravit Romam, que coepit esse in foro.
he removed (to) Rome, and began to be in the forum.
Primum meruit stipendium decem que
First he merited pay (being aged) of ten and
septem annorum, Quinto Fabio Maximo, Marco
seven years, Quintus Fabius Maximus, Marcus
Claudio Marcello consulibus. Fuit tribunus
Claudius Marcellus consuls. He was tribune
militum in Sicilia. Ut rediit inde,
of the soldiers in Sicily. When he returned thence,
secutus-est castra Caii Claudii Neronis,
he followed the camps of Caius Claudius Nero,
que opera eius existimata-est magni
and the work of him was esteemed of great (value)
in praelio apud Senam, quo Hasdrubal,
in the battle at Sena, in which Hasdrubal,
frater Hannibalis, cecidit. Obtigit
the brother of Hannibal, fell. He happened
quaestor Publio Africano consuli, cum quo
(to be) quaestor to Publius Africanus consul, with whom
vixit non pro necessitudine sortis;
he lived not according to relation of lot (of office);
namque dissensit ab eo perpetua vita.
for he disagreed from him in perpetual life.
Factus-est Aedilis plebis cum Caio
He was made Aedile of the common people with Caius
Helvio. Praetor obtinuit Sardiniam provinciam,
Helvius. Praetor he obtained Sardinia (as) a province,
ex qua, decedens quaestor ex Africa
out of which, departing quaestor out of Africa
superiore tempore, deduxerat Quintum Ennium
in former time, he had brought Quintus Ennius
poetam, quod existimamus non minoris,
a poet, which we esteem not of less (importance),
quam quemlibet amplissimum Sardiniensem triumphum.
than any most ample Sardinian triumph.


Gessit consulatum cum Lucio Valerio
He carried on the consulship with Lucius Valerius
Flacco, nactus sorte citeriorem Hispaniam
Flaccus, having obtained by lot hither Spain
provinciam, que deportavit triumphum ex ea.
(as a) province, and carried away a triumph out of it.
Quum Publius Scipio Africanus moraretur (sub.) ibi
When Publius Scipio Africanus did tarry there
diutius, iterum consul, quaestor cuius
longer, a second time consul, the quaestor of whom
fuerat in priore consulatu, voluit depellere
he had been in the former consulship, he wished to drive
eum de provincia, et ipse succedere ei.
him from the province, and himself to succeed to him.
Neque potuit efficere hoc per senatum, quum
Nor was he able to effect this by the senate, when
quidem Scipio obtineret (sub.) principatum in civitate,
indeed Scipio did hold the chief power in the state,
quod respublica administrabatur tum non potentia,
because the republic was managed then not by power,
sed iure. Ex qua re iratus
but by right. Out of which thing being angry
senatui, consulatu peracto, mansit
to (with) the Senate, the consulship being finished, he remained
privatus in urbe. At Cato, factus censor
private in the city. But Cato, being made censor
cum eodem Flacco, praefuit ei potestati
with the same Flaccus, was over to that power
severe. Nam et animadvertit in
severely. For both he animadverted (punished) against
complures nobiles, et addidit multas novas
several nobles, and added many new
res in edictum, quare luxuria reprimeretur,
things into edict, why luxury might be repressed,
que iam tum incipiebat pullulare. [Circiter
which already then did begin to bud. [About
octoginta annos] ab adolescentia, usque ad
eighty years] from youth, even to
extremam aetatem, destitit non suscipere inimicitias
extreme age, he ceased not to undertake enmities
caussa reipublicae. Tentatus a multis,
for the sake of the republic. Being tried by many,
non modo fecit nullum detrimentum existimationis,
not only he made no loss of esteem,
sed quoad vixit, crevit laude virtutum.
but as long as he lived, he increased in praise of virtues.


In omnibus rebus fuit singulari prudentia
In all things he was with singular prudence
et industria. Nam fuit et solers agricola,
and industry. For he was both a skilful husbandman,
et peritus reipublicae, et iuris-consultus et
and skilful of the republic, and a lawyer, and
magnus imperator, et probabilis orator, et
a great commander, and an approvable orator, and
cupidissimus litterarum. Studium quarum etsi
most desirous of letters. The study of which although
arripuerat senior, tamen fecit tantum
he had seized (being) older, yet he made so great
progressum in eis, ut possis non
progress in them, that thou mayest be able not
facile reperire, neque de Graecis neque de
easily to find, neither of Grecian nor of
Italicis rebus, quod fuerit (sub.) incognitum ei.
Italian things, which was unknown to him.
Confecit orationes ab adolescentia. Senex instituit
He made orations from youth. Old he began
scribere historias, quarum sunt septem libri.
to write histories, of which there are seven books.
Primus continet res gestas Romani populi.
The first contains things carried on of the Roman people.
Secundus et tertius, unde quaeque Italica
The second and third, whence each Italian
civitas orta-sit (sub.); ob quam rem
state arose; on account of which thing
videtur appellasse omnes Origines. Autem in
he seems to have called all Origines. But in
quarto, primum Poenicum bellum; in quinto,
the fourth, the first Punic war; in the fifth,
secundum. Atque omnia haec dicta-sunt capitulatim.
the second. And all these are told by chapters.
Persecutus-est reliqua bella pari modo,
He has followed-out the remaining wars in like manner,
usque ad praeturam Servii Galbae, qui diripuit
even to the praetorship of Servius Galba, who plundered
Lusitanos. Atque nominavit non duces
the Lusitanians. And he has named not the leaders
horum bellorum, sed notavit res sine
of these wars, but has noted the things without
nominibus. In iisdem exposuit, qua
names. In the same he has exposed, (things) which
viderentur (sub.) admiranda in Italia que Hispaniis.
did seem to be admired in Italy and the Spains.
In quibus comparet multa industria et diligentia,
In which appears much industry and diligence,
multa doctrina. Persecuti-sumus plura de
much learning. We have followed-out more (things) of
vita et moribus huius in eo libro, quem
the life and morals of him in that book, which
fecimus separatim de eo rogatu Titi
we made separately about him by request of Titus
Pomponii Attici. Quare delegamus studiosos
Pomponius Atticus. Wherefore we refer (those) desirous
Catonis ad illud volumen.
of Cato to that volume.